Blood for pawns
by Junoa
Summary: As far as Ayame knows, humanity is on the brink of destruction. Her mission: Get the ingredients. Don't get caught in the process. What happens when it fails? Who is friend and who is foe?  OC/Hitsugaya Toshiro. Alternate Universe.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello. This is my first time publishing a story here and I hope it will be well received. I appreciate critique. I want to become better at writing. I only have myself to proofread_ _through these stories and I'm doing my absolute best, so I hope it's bearable. Otherwise, don't hesitate to give me a shout! Thank you! _

**Disclaimer: BLEACH and all it's characters belong to Tite Kubo.** However, Ayame is a character of my own design, so please don't use her for yourself. Many thanks.

_**a little dictionary/guide: (most of them you probably already know...)**_

**Reiryoku:** a power aligned with the spiritual sensitivity and willpower of the user.

**Reiatsu:** the physical force/pressure that a person's Reiryoku creates when released.

**Kido:** A broad grouping of magic spells used by Shinigami which serve a wide variety of uses such as healing, defense, or combat.

**Bakudo:** _("Way of Binding")_ phrase used for binding-spells.

**Shunpo:** high speed movement technique of Shinigami.

**Kyusho-jutsu:** techniques of attacks on pressure points in various styles of japanese martial arts.

**Ryoka:** anybody who comes to Soul Society that was not sent by a Shinigami performing Konsō (Soul burial) on them is labelled as a Ryoka.

**Shihakusho:** _(lit. "Garment of Dead Souls")_ is the uniform that all shinigami in the Gotei 13 are required to wear. The standard shikakusho is composed of the following: a white_ shitagi_, a black_ kosode _and black_ hakama_, a pair of white_ tabi (socks)_, a pair of _waraji_ _(sandals)_, and a white_ obi (sash)._

**Kosode:** a basic Japanese robe for both men and women. Worn as both an undergarment and overgarment, it is what most people imagine when using the much broader term kimono.

**Hakama:** type of traditional japanese trousers.

**Haori:** is a hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket, which adds formality to an outfit.

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 1<strong>_

_'Man, this intruder-alarm really puts everyone on edge. Probably just an abnormal Hollow or something...'_ he thought as he lazily slouched against the wall surrounding the military quarters. He gave a heavy sigh and mumbled with a complaining whine under his breath, "I could have been sneaking peeks in the girls sauna instead of having to stand guard out here in the dark. At least the old man could have assigned me a cute little assistant to keep me company... huh?"

Something fluttered in a nearby tree. Something that didn't belong to the ordinary. Despite it being almost pitch black and late at night, there would normally have been the quiet rustling from various nocturnal creatures going about their business, but tonight it was as still as a grave. Except...

A minimal movement of his hand and he sensed the members of his squad get on guard.

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><p>She thanked her lucky star for the cloudy night. The darker the better.<p>

She kept a careful eye on the seemingly drowsy guard by the gate, knowing she would be a fool for underestimating the professionals of Gotei 13, whether they were common soldiers or seated officers. She carefully shifted her weight, avoiding a sharp branch poking her in the side, but hadn't counted on the moon to glare gleefully at her through a small crack in the clouds.

'_Damn!_' she quickly shifted back when the moonlight for a second hit her face, illuminating what was visible of it, in the dark night. She noticed the guards getting alert and, whom she suspected to be their captain, looking in the direction of her hiding place.

They carefully surrounded the tree, deliberately leaving gaps in their defense to try and lure her out. She wasn't so easily fooled. Additional guards were stationed just a little bit further away, covering up the openings, catching anyone stupid enough who would try to sneak past the innermost circle of soldiers. Although it might be easier to fight her way through the alluring route, it was still not an option. She only needed parts from truly strong shinigami. The optimal targets were those of lieutenant and captain class. She slowly reached for the short zanpakuto strapped to her back.

To people unblessed with the ability to use shunpo it looked as if he had simply vanished into thin air. He was there, leaning casually against the wall, then he was gone.

'_Crap!_' she quickly ducked out from the attack coming from overhead, barreling out from the protection of the leafy branches. She landed with a roll on the ground, snapping out her short blade in defense as she turned around to face her attacker. Blade clanged against blade and her light body was pushed backwards from the force the man put in his attack. She gritted her teeth as she planted her feet to stop continuing gliding backwards and the muscles in her arms protested against the heavy pressure they had to withstand. With a hard thrust the large man sent her flying backwards, almost crashing against the wall he'd been previously leaning on. Using that force to her advantage she directed her feet against the wall when impacting, only to create a forceful counterattack pushing off the side of it, shooting back towards the enemy. She saw how he shifted his feet, preparing for the impact, right before she used her own shunpo to disappear from his view.

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><p>The captain noticed how his enemy was very quick and agile, reminding him of the specially trained members of the onmitsukido. Despite being small and lightweight, he was surprisingly strong. But why was he here? Who would send an assassin to Soul Society. And more importantly, how did the little bastard get in!<p>

His opponent thrust himself off the wall for a direct frontal attack only to suddenly disappear from in front of him. '_Shit! Behind!_' he twisted around to counter an eventual thrust but only met empty space. The thrust came instead from below, scratching his stubbly chin as he threw himself backwards to avoid getting skewered in the throat. '_Damn midget! Tricksy like a little weasel!_' he grunted inwardly. '_Well, assassins aren't the only ones that have little tricks up their sleeves..._'

"Seems like my zanpakuto likes you, kid. She wants to play..." he flashed an apologizing smile at the enemy before chanting, "Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer," as he held his twin blades in a cross in front of him. When he pulled them apart they had transformed into a pair of large black scimitars.

"I apologize in advance, my little friend." he said as he got into position. "I was planning on simply putting you to sleep and present you to the intelligence department. I prefer not to deal with such troublesome matters as to torture children, but since my lovely girls here have come out to play I can't help if I accidentally kill you in the process. My sincerest apologies."

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><p>She watched as his zanpakuto released, trying to calculate his fighting style by watching his stance alone. She knew the usual way of fighting with two swords, but this man seemed unpredictable. She narrowed her eyes at him as he explained his intentions and even offered her an apology in advance.<p>

Play. That's the word he used. '_Does he see this fight as a game?_' She took a deep breath to collect her thoughts, noting how his team had closed in on them, creating a wall of flesh and bone and swords. '_Fine. If he wants to play, let's play!_' She was the first to take action. She dashed around him and charged one of the many men surrounding them. A quick cut across the throat and the man collapsed in a gush of dark fluids. She quickly dashed off to the right, trying an attack on the captain, he easily blocked her short blade. But she saw how his eyes widened in surprise as he heard the gurgled cry of the dying soldier. He obviously didn't notice her detour. Again she took off, this time to the left, incapacitating another one of his men before trying to sneak an attack in on the tall man. Again he blocked, clearly noticing her as she got close enough. She repeated her pattern, planning on diminishing his squad further, they weren't important enough, but was suddenly stopped by his big looming figure in front of her. He swiftly and easily planted a kick in her chest that forced her breath away and sent her flying. She landed hard on the ground, gasping for air. Pain shoot through her body as she finally inhaled deeply and she realized that some of her ribs had cracked. She clutched her side and tried to calm her breathing as little dots floated in front of her eyes. Forcing herself up she clutched her sword firmly and glared at the enemy. He was strong. Strong enough to provide her brother with what he required for his medicine.

"What game do you want to play, kiddo?" he flashed her another smile, like you would to a small child that begs you to play with them. "Wait, I know! Bushogoma!" He spread his arms and rotated his blades around his body with a powerful stroke, sending gusts of wind in her direction. It was a fast attack and she didn't have any time to react before she was engulfed in a furious tornado. She raised her arms in front of her face for protection and didn't see her enemy storming through his own attack to punch her in the stomach hard enough to make her pass out.

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><p>Kyoraku Shunsui looked down at the pitiful enemy lying in a unconscious heap at his feet.<p>

"I suppose I have to haul your little ass to the Intel department now then... sorry kiddo." he mumbled under his breath as he knelt down next to the small assassin. He grabbed the top of the enemy's black hood and easily pulled it off with one motion. The sight that met him made his eyes widen in surprise. "A girl!" The long blond hair that had been securely tucked into the hood spilled free across her shoulders, framing a young, delicate face. Shunsui put a large hand under her chin and raised her face to meet his. "A cute one at that." he sighed. "Why can't women just stay home. I prefer Not to beat up girls."

* * *

><p>She dimly heard the clang of metal and the screeching and scraping of a gate and she awoke with a start as someone grabbed the front of her shirt and harshly pulled her up on her feet. She was pushed out into a corridor and she stumbled hard against the opposite wall. Her cracked ribs ached with each breath and she slowly looked around to try and figure out where she was. She seemed to be in a long prison corridor. Cells extended along both walls and apparently she had just came out from one of them. The light was dim and everything smelled faintly of moss and stagnant water.<p>

"Stop gawking, brat, and get moving!" A brawny man in black clothing barked at her and pushed her shoulder to get her to start moving. He wore a sword tucked into his obi and she briefly wondered if it was worth it stealing it to kill him. She decided against it when she realized that even if she managed to defeat this one, there would be many more in a place like this. And with her broken ribs and otherwise tired body she wouldn't get far anyway.

The man lead her up a flight of stairs and out into a slightly larger room. It didn't smell as bad here but the light was still hardly existent. Another man broke out from the shadows.

"The captain is waiting. Room 2."

She managed to make out darker squares in the surrounding walls and realized they were doors. Question was, what was Behind the doors.

Her guard lead her to one of them and opened it. Sharp white light blinded her and made her cringe. She squinted hard as he dragged her inside and forced her down on a chair and then placed himself standing to her right.

The dark doorway she had been trying to focus her hurting eyes on, vanished as the door closed. A figure moved off the wall next to it and approached the captive and her guard. He was difficult to see in the overly white room with it's too bright light.

"Name?" The voice was dark and smooth and she got a strange feeling that if it didn't have such a hard and even cruel tone it might actually be quite beautiful.

She kept her mouth closed. '_Divulge no information. No matter what they put you through._' That was the basic rule for every assassin trained by the Shihouin household. Die with the secret or don't get caught in the first place. She focused her blurry eyes on her own dark trousers, letting her hair hang down the sides of her face, shading it.

"Is she deaf?" the interrogator asked her guardian harshly, as the big man in black denied it but sounded a little unsure. The white man placed himself in front of her, she could see his sandal-clad feet and white socks. '_Such small feet..._' She noticed that he most likely wore similar black clothes as the big gorilla, but that he also had some sort of white coat. She wondered if it was part of the strategy. The room was pure white, so why not the interrogator as well?

It was easier for her to take in her surroundings at this point. Her eyes had adjusted more to the harsh light and she could see that there was a form of tiled pattern on the walls, there seemed to be several light sources in the ceiling and the man in front of her had two rows of buttons down the front of his white robe.

His hand screwed itself in her hair at the top of her head and forced her to look up at him. It was far from a gentle tug and she couldn't help but hiss at the pain as her head was forced backwards and she glared angrily into his turquoise eyes. '_What a youthful face..._'

"I asked for your name, girl. It's a simple question and nothing strange about it. For your own sake you'd do good to just comply and speak up."

When she still didn't utter a single word he sighed theatrically and stared at the ceiling as he mumbled, "Why a woman? Why did it Have to be a Woman?"

The punch seemed to come from nowhere as it impacted with the right side of her face, flinging it hard to the left. She tasted the metallic taste of blood in her mouth from a cracked lip and her tongue ran briefly over the wound. It pounded like hell, but she did her best to seem completely unaffected by the treatment.

"Now. Let's try again, shall we?" He put his hands on her knees and leaned forward so their noses almost touched. "Name?"

She didn't even look at him. She put on a thoughtful look as she ran her tongue along her teeth, feeling for any loose ones after the hard blow. She then simply leaned a little to the side and spat a large bloodied splotch on the floor, clearly ignoring her interrogator. But she couldn't help but flinch just a little as her body reminded her about her abused ribs.

* * *

><p>Hitsugaya Toshiro, captain of the 10'th squad also known as The Department of Intelligence, and main interrogator, was very, very annoyed. This girl simply did not know what was best for her. He screwed his eyes up and his hands clenched down hard on the girls legs as he tried to swallow his frustration.<p>

His job was to get the prisoners to talk. He was usually very good at it and he had often gotten the comment from his fellow workers that he had a stare of ice. He depended on his frosty personality to get his victims to spill the beans. But this one didn't give jack shit about him!

He had noticed though how she flinched when leaning over. His brain worked fast as he calculated the different possible reasons and soon came to the conclusion that her left side was in agony, despite keeping a strong face plastered on. Broken ribs, huh? He could use that...

He straightened himself and gestured to the guard, who grabbed a rough hold of the girls arms, bending them behind her back so she couldn't move. Toshiro saw in the slightest shifts in her facial features that it hurt, but she still looked up at him without any emotion in her cool grey eyes and he couldn't help it but admiring her stubbornness

"I shouldn't have to do this just to get your name, you know." he told her a-matter-of-factually. "It's just a name. It won't tell me shit about why you're here, sneaking around our city. Nor where you're from or who you work for. So just be a nice little girl and give me your name so that I don't have to hurt you over such a trivial thing."

As he still stared into an empty face he sighed again. '_It's not fun beating up girls... it's a bit unsporting really..._'

* * *

><p>She had decided to be completely emotionless. If he can't get anything from her he'll probably put her back in the cage, right?<p>

But her thoughts froze and she lost her composure as the man slipped his hand under her shirt.

'_What the...!_' His cool hand slowly teased over her left side, softly prodding her bruised skin. The next thing she knew, an intense pain shot through her as he found what he was looking for and dug his fingers in on her cracked ribs. She gasped in pain and convulsively leaned forward, eyes staring blindly at her spurning feet. The pain was momentarily blinding and she longed to scream but managed to bite back the sound so as not to give him the satisfaction. The pain decreased to a dull ache when he went back to softly stroking her skin and he put his free arm around her shoulders, almost embracing her in a hug. Her breath was quick and shallow and her legs wouldn't stop shaking.

"Name, please." he hummed in her ear and once again dug his fingers into her sore side.

This time she couldn't help but groan as she dimly pushed her forehead against his shoulder. Her eyes clenched shut so hard it flickered on the inside of her eyelids as if they were a kaleidoscope Almost involuntary she gasped out her name as she faintly heard a soft cracking as a rib fractured completely.

"Ayame."

Immediately he removed his hand from under her clothing and gently rubbed her shaking back.

"See. That wasn't so hard." he murmured in her ear. To the guard he gave the command that they were done for today. She was to have some water and being put back in her cell.

"See you tomorrow. Ayame-chan." his voice faded as the door to the white room closed behind her and the big guard.

* * *

><p>She'd had an uneasy sleep, if any at all. He could tell so easily despite her efforts to hide it. Lines of pain and sleep-loss were etched around her eyes.<p>

He had never been a person who cared much for people who wasn't family or very close friends and therefore he had never had any problem with his work. He didn't particularly enjoy it, torturing prisoners for some information or other, like many other interrogators often did. They seemed to get some sick kick out of it, seeing other people writhe in pain at their hand. He didn't. He didn't feel anything. It was just a job to him. And that cold attitude towards his work and the prisoners was what made them so afraid of him.

But here he was. In the regular white room that was his workspace. His arms crossed across his chest as he with the slightest frown on his face watched the girl on the chair. Hands tied behind her back she sat on the same cold chair as yesterday, starring blankly straight through him. And he felt a strange tug in his gut. Something telling him that he didn't want to hurt this girl. His instincts to protect her, or being chivalrous to her, seemed stronger. It wasn't the fact that she was a woman, he knew that. He'd interrogated women before. Perhaps it was that detached expression on her face. She didn't behave like the other women and most men usually did. Shaking, crying, kicking and screaming.

"Captain?" the assigned guard snapped him out of his confused thoughts. "Captain. Is anything wrong?"

"It's nothing. Just thinking." he replied calmly and the guard let out a guwafing laugh.

"I see, I see! Thinking up the best and most gruesome trick to make the bitch talk, eh! Hahaha! That's the genius captain for ya!" Toshiro just shot him an annoyed look and headed towards a small table by the wall. He picked up a small leather roll-up satchel and rolled it open. From it he took a small awl from the variety of tools tucked in to their own little pockets. From a deep pocket in his white coat Toshiro then fished out a little wooden box. The big guard looked at it with questions in his eyes.

"My own little mixture. Wait and see." the white haired captain said quietly and sauntered over to his victim. He dragged a chair over and placed himself behind the blond girl, balancing the little box on one of his legs, he grabbed a firm hold of one of her hands. Pressing his thumb into the palm of her hand he easily forced it open so her fingers spread. By adding a slight amount of spirit force to his grip she was unable to move it even a millimeter. The guard came closer, standing behind his captain and peered curiously over his shoulder. Much to the captains frustration.

Toshiro grabbed the thin awl and rested the sharp tip against one of the girls fingertips, just below the nail.

"Ayame-chan." his voice low and hypnotic. "I don't have to hurt you. I told you this yesterday. Do you remember?"

She didn't answer. When she didn't even move, he leaned over a little to the side, trying to reach some form of eye contact. Her head didn't move an inch, but she met his questioning look from the corner of her eye, her stare completely uninterested. Her grey eyes seemed to give him only one message: Go ahead. Give it your best.

"Why are you here?" She actually raised an eyebrow at him. Wondering if he was dumb. His own brows returned to their customary furrowed position and he continued, "In Soul Society. Why?"

Her eyes went back to starring straight ahead. Her mouth still shut. Hitsugaya Toshiro silently wondered how long it would take to get her to talk.

* * *

><p>The pain in her finger was bearable. Painful but bearable. She'd seen the awl he'd picked from the table and could easily figure out what he did with it. He'd forced the sharp end in under the fingernail of her index finger. It throbbed from the pain and she could feel it getting hot from all the blood rushing there. But it wasn't enough to make her talk. Hardly even to make her gasp. She gritted her teeth as he slowly pulled it out.<p>

She expected him to continue on to the next finger, but instead he thrust it in again, but this time it felt like her finger was on fire! She gasped from the pain and as her body involuntarily jerked, she accidentally bit down hard on her own tongue, making it bleed and giving her a bitter metallic taste in her mouth. The roaring in her ears almost blocked out what the torturer said next.

"My own mixture, Isaku. Pepper mixed in vinegar. These little wood splinters are soaked in it and when you put them in to a wound like this it hurts like hell. She probably thinks her finger's gonna fall off."

"Why don't ya just chop it off instead, captain? Surely that'd make her shit it and start talking."

'_Bloodthirsty bastard._' she hissed in her head. '_I should cut him open when I'm free from here. He's worthless for what Onii-sama needs, but I'll gladly do it for good measure..._'

"No. You need to break the mind. Not the body. It's the best way." he answered calmly.

She felt the so called captain grab her middle finger, getting ready to push the awl in as he once again asked her the same question. Why. And again she steeled herself for the pain, preparing not to say a word.

About two hours later Ayame was dripping with perspiration. Every time she swallowed she tasted blood and her body was shivering continuously as her muscles screamed from tensing up each time a new wave of pain washed through her. Her hands were on fire. She could feel the blood trying to seep past the splinters under each nail, making her fingertips feel warm and swollen, pounding in junction with every heartbeat. Even the slightest movement of her hands were painful. The white haired interrogator sat in front of her, his arms crossed over his chest, one leg crossed over the other, looking at her with those piercing turquoise eyes. She noted how his eyebrows were drawn down in a position that seemed natural to him and she wondered if it came from this job he had. Their eyes were locked in a silent struggle, similar to wolves trying to decide who's the strongest, that had been going on for at least fifteen minutes now. Ayame had to admit it was difficult trying not to squirm as his uncaring eyes relentlessly bore in to hers.

* * *

><p>The captain on the other hand found this strange girl incredibly infuriating, but at the same time oddly intriguing. Outwardly, his face showed no reflections of his thoughts, but on the inside he felt like tearing something to pieces with his bare hands. After almost an hour and a half of slowly getting her sensitive fingertips tortured until she cried, screamed and almost threw up from the pain she still didn't answer a single question. And now she met his icy glare with a stare of cold steel. Who was she? Ayame. Ayame, who? After getting her name last night he had headed to the central library with his lieutenant in tow, trying to find anyone by that name and her looks, in the history of Soul Society. They had come up completely blank. The girl was definitely a shinigami. He could easily sense her reiryoku and at the time of her capture, 8'th squad captain, Kyoraku Shunsui, had handed over her short sword which had easily been established to be a true zanpakuto. So why wasn't she in the registry? He needed more information. He no longer cared much about why she was here, now he only wanted to know who she was. The mystery irked his curiosity but unfortunately she seemed to have an iron psyche. Breaking her mind wouldn't work, only option left was to break her in body. Unfortunately for her, this was the end of his shift. His replacement wasn't as nice as him, he knew that. He decided to try and save the stubborn girl the pain that surely was to come but she was indeed that. Stubborn. He refused to beg. That was much below his dignity as a captain and definitely not an option as a captor! Her continued silence was clear refusal to cooperate, and in the end there was nothing he could do. He removed the wood splinters from her fingers, noticing how rigid her shoulders had been as she suddenly relaxed a bit as she hung her head, taking deep breaths. Blood immediately rushed forth to drip in to a growing puddle on the previously pure white floor.<p>

* * *

><p>Ayame jerked with surprise as the door to the white room flew open and a large, scarred man walked in.<p>

"Wha'? Ya still here capn'? What kinda monster do ya have in that ya can't break so easily?" his voice was loud and hard, making her ears pound. His appearance and aura made her automatically try to back further up on her chair and for some strange reason an icy chill trickled along her spine.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." the young captain murmured close to her ear before scolding the big man for not addressing him properly. "It's not 'capn', Mitsuru! It's Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Ah! Sorry 'bout that! But cap... eh I mean, Taichou... is this it? You couldn't break sweetie cakes here? You!" The new man stared at her with surprise over the head of his captain.

"Mitsuru! Manners please." the youngster barked. Ayame was surprised how much authority he apparently had, being able to boss around such dangerous looking guys, despite having the face and body of a teenager. "Mitsuru, how many warnings do you have now?" he grumbled, Ayame stared transfixed at the odd display in front of her. Mitsuru scratched his scarred, bald head, thinking hard.

"Ehum... I'm not sure, taichou. Sorry boss, I don't think I've been keeping count." he said with a sheepish grin.

"Well I know exactly how many you have and believe me when I tell you that there's not many chances left before I decide to throw you out of my squad for good." And with that he stalked past his subordinate and headed for the door.

"Y-yes taichou."

Ayame couldn't keep an amused smile from her lips and as Mitsuru saw it he growled and stormed at her. Her smile grew bigger and turned into a mocking grin as she noticed how easy it was to tick him off. With a roar he grabbed a fist full of her hair with his large hand and tore her off the chair, lifting her straight up. She couldn't help but utter a moaning cry. It felt like he would tear her scalp straight off.

"Mitsuru." the captains voice floating over from the half closed door had a sharp and cruel tone to it. "If she dies, you're next."

"A'ight, Hitsugaya-taichou. I just need her to start talking right?"

"Affirmative." And the door closed.

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><p>The last sound he heard, before closing the door, was Ayames pained cry as Mitsuru threw her small body into the white tiled wall. Stupid girl. Was her purpose so important she was willing to go through extensive torture just to keep her mouth shut?<p>

More often than not, Hitsugaya Tôshirô did not understand women... 

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><p>Ok. this first chapter have been up for a while, and I have just recently finished the 2'nd chapter. (sorry for the very long wait. _)<p>

A few things have been edited in this text (not storywise, just grammar/spelling-wise) which is why it now looks a little more organized. =P

Feel free to drop a line in the comments section. ^_^ thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: BLEACH and all it's characters belong to Tite Kubo.** However, Ayame is a character of my own design, so please don't use her for yourself. Many thanks.

_**a little dictionary/guide: (most of them you probably already know...)**_

**Reiryoku:** a power aligned with the spiritual sensitivity and willpower of the user.

**Reiatsu:** the physical force/pressure that a person's Reiryoku creates when released.

**Kido:** A broad grouping of magic spells used by Shinigami which serve a wide variety of uses such as healing, defense, or combat.

**Bakudo:** _("Way of Binding")_ phrase used for binding-spells.

**Shunpo:** high speed movement technique of Shinigami.

**Kyusho-jutsu:** techniques of attacks on pressure points in various styles of japanese martial arts.

**Ryoka:** anybody who comes to Soul Society that was not sent by a Shinigami performing Konsō (Soul burial) on them is labelled as a Ryoka.

**Shihakusho:** _(lit. "Garment of Dead Souls")_ is the uniform that all shinigami in the Gotei 13 are required to wear. The standard shikakusho is composed of the following: a white_ shitagi_, a black_ kosode _and black_ hakama_, a pair of white_ tabi (socks)_, a pair of _waraji_ _(sandals)_, and a white_ obi (sash)_.

**Kosode:** a basic Japanese robe for both men and women. Worn as both an undergarment and overgarment, it is what most people imagine when using the much broader term kimono.

**Hakama:** type of traditional japanese trousers.

**Haori:** is a hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket, which adds formality to an outfit.

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 2<strong>_

He had sent his lieutenant home for the day. She had faithfully stayed by him all last night to help his search through Soul Society's library and he knew she always needed a good nights sleep or she was horribly cranky the next day.

He squinted against the bright sunlight as he stepped out of the prison located on the 10'th division grounds. He'd taken off the customary white interrogators robe and replaced it with his regular sleeveless captain's haori. As he crossed the grounds he thought about heading home himself and get some shuteye, he knew he needed it. Maybe he could come up with something about what to do with this girl if he only got to rest his tired brain a bit. His stomach uttered an upset growl and he realized he hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday, so he changed his direction and headed towards a small restaurant close by. He knew that if he went home for food now he'd be suffocated with questions from the two people sharing his house.

Juushiro always wanted the latest news regarding Soul Society, since he was no longer able to participate due to his sickness and had therefore given up his seat as captain of the 13'th squad. To have some company during his lonely days, he had moved in with the 10'th squad captain and this ones foster sister, Hinamori Momo. Momo had never been cut out to be a shinigami, despite having a fair amount of reiryoku. She'd always had a week body and too soft of a mind. She was happier staying away from battle, keeping Ukitake Juushiro company during the days.

Toshiro was very happy living with these two people. They gave him the company he needed without being loud, boisterous and smelling faintly of sake time and time again, unlike a certain lieutenant of his. But then again, she might annoy him most of the time, but he knew he would have a hard time replacing her. Matsumoto Rangiku was surprisingly bright and quick witted. She was strong in both body and mind and he appreciated her ability to make decisions on her own if she had to. He knew there were, and always had been, whisperings about it. Why he, the youngest captain ever in the Gotei 13, had chosen a lieutenant with Matsumoto's special bodily attributes. Only the people in his own division and the other captains and lieutenants knew it had nothing to do with her long, thick strawberry blond hair or her overly large bosom, which she happily showed as much of as possible.

He laughed a little to himself during his meal, as he thought of a certain time he'd found his lieutenants secret stash of sake. The nerve of her. Hiding all her alcohol in His office! The look of desperation and almost heartbreaking loss on her face as he poured her valued liquor in to the flowerbed outside the office window. She had since then kept her beloved bottles far away from his cruel, torturing hands and the flowers below the window never blossomed again.

After a delightfully calm and quiet meal he headed home and basically crashed onto his futon without bothering to take of neither his haori or his shihakusho. His head was blank even before it impacted with his pillow.

He woke up before the sun had started giving the night sky even the faintest hint of light.

_'Well. I suppose that's what you get for sleeping during the day.'_ he thought with a small smirk on his face. He noticed how his usually tidy haori was full of wrinkles, having been slept in for more than twelve hours and he sighed regretfully. Hitsugaya Toshiro much preferred to look proper during his days. His clothes were always crinkle and stain free, he washed himself at least once a day, and he never showed any signs of being tired, hungry or otherwise inconvenienced.

His head felt a bit heavy and he dragged a hand through his tousled white hair before rolling his shoulders a bit, trying to awaken his body after the long sleep.

"Might as well head down to the office. Bet the papers are piling high..." he mumbled into the silent room. He straightened his black kosode, making sure he was presentable as he headed for the kitchen, planning to grab a quick bite before leaving.

_'Hinamori. You think too much.'_ A soft smile spread across his face as a plate with onigiri met his eyes as he opened the fridge. She had even scribbled a note to lay on top; _Shiro-chan's. Do not touch!_

Before leaving he shrugged out of his haori and shook it slightly, trying to smooth it out at least a little, before he draped it over the back of a chair. He figured he could leave it at home this time. It was the middle of the night after all and not many people were out on the streets. Only assigned night guards were patrolling Sereitei at this hour.

Without a sound he slipped out of the house, making sure not to wake his two companions, and started the walk along winding streets leading to his office. 

Before he knew it, instead of his main office, he was standing outside the doors leading to the prison- and detention-cells. His mind had yet again been filled up with speculations and questions about their newest prisoner.

As the guards saw him arrive they quickly stood up straighter and greeted their well respected captain.

"Taichou!" "Hitsugaya-taichou!"

"Any message from Mitsuru?" he asked them in his low smooth voice as he passed.

"Yes, captain. He said he left a note for you in your office, sir."

"Good. Thank you. You're both dismissed, you may go home and get some sleep. I'll take care of things here until the morning-shift starts." he continued and walked through the doors without meeting the two mens eyes.

"Yes sir! That's much to kind of you sir." they replied to his back and hurried off to the barracks before he could change his mind.

His strides were longer as he almost rushed to the small office he rarely used, preferring the larger airier one in the main squad building. On the desk was a folded up note next to a small pile of books that didn't belong there and as he opened the note he only read two words. _Urahara Ayame. _The surname rang a bell. He looked closer on the books and noted there were small pieces of paper stuck in between the pages. He flipped open the first book to the marked page and found the criminal records of a man no longer welcome in Soul Society. Urahara Kisuke. The resemblance was striking. The same coloured hair. Same eyes. But where the girl had had a bored yet defiant look on her face, this man looked sly and cunning.

As he flipped through the books he quickly realized he wouldn't find any answers to why this Urahara guy was infiltrating their usually peaceful realm. 100 years had passed since his banishment. Why was he acting now? Revenge? Or something else? Toshiro knew he had no other choice at the moment but to question the girl again.

As he approached her cell, the keys jangling in his hand, he arranged his expression to his regular stone mask. In the back of his mind he couldn't shake the strange feeling he got whenever he thought about the girl. It felt like something akin to caring. But that couldn't be right. He'd only first seen her yesterday. There had been no true conversation. He didn't know her. She was a prisoner. A ryoka. She had been out to harm his friends and colleagues. He shook his head, trying to push away the stupid thoughts that kept popping up and then he was standing in front of her cell. It was the paleness of her arms he saw first. She sat collapsed close to the bars, one hand gripping a bar tightly as the other hung motionless by her side. Her hair was a tangled mess clumped up by dried blood and sweat. It felt as if an enormous boulder infested his gut as he took in her beaten appearance and torn up clothes. With slightly shaky hands he unlocked the gate and entered her cell, looking her over more closely. Her breathing was slow, shallow and hardly visible and he assumed her broken ribs pained her still. He knelt next to her carefully touching a naked shoulder, turning her slightly so he could see her face. Her eyes under half closed lids were glossy from the pain and he noticed she seemed to have some trouble focusing. Her pale lips were dry and chapped and her face looked flushed. He realized she needed medical attention if he would be able to ask her any more questions.

"Can you stand?" his voice was low and close to her ear. He put an arm around her, grabbing her other shoulder, willing to support her so she could rise. As his grip tensed ever so slightly her lids flew open and she groaned trough clenched teeth, tears filling her eyes. Startled he quickly removed his hands understanding she was in more pain than he first thought. When he looked over to see what could have been hurting her he noticed that her limp arm was full with bruises and swellings. Broken. And probably a dislocated shoulder on top of it. Again he carefully put an arm around her, making sure to avoid her hurt arm he basically dragged her up off the floor and half carried, half led her out of her cell, determined to take her to his step-sister for medical attention.

* * *

><p>In her dream she was being moved. Everything was sort of foggy. Gray. Like a very misty autumn morning. Ayame couldn't remember much else than the way she stumbled weakly next to a person leading her around. A guide. Was she dying? Was this the process of crossing over? Her eyes, even in the dream, were heavy and unfocused and it was difficult to breathe. One thing she remembered with an almost frightening clarity though, was the feel of the dark soft, silken kosode she was forcefully hanging on to. Her guide, or whatever he was, was wearing it and she was grasping one of his sleeves, leaning on him from time to time as they slowly made their way, like a small child clinging to her mothers skirts.<p>

As her mind woke up she kept her eyes closed, trying to keep the strange feeling from her dream for as long as possible. She could still feel the silk under her fingers and that strange smell of the man in front of her. He smelled just like early winter. The way you can just tell that there is snow in the air. She smiled weakly at the stupidity of her own thoughts. Smells like snow? That's impossible. But anything is possible in death, right?

Realization brutally brought her back to reality. Who she was. Where she was. Why she was there and why her body felt numb. She wasn't dead! Instinctively she flinched from the pain that engulfed her body before she realized there was no pain. Her left arm throbbed slightly but felt otherwise all right.

A soft ruffle of clothes next to her made her eyes open wide as she flung herself into a sitting position, only to have something hard and heavy impact with her nose. A girl squeaked and Ayame herself let out a load groan and then the beginning of a long string of foul words, as whatever it was that was hard and heavy crashed down into her lap, spilling something wet all over the thin coverlets.

"Ah! You're awake!" a girl beside her bed chirped in a high nervous voice. "I'm So sorry! I didn't think you'd wake up just yet! I should have gone over to the other side before removing the tray, but I figured I could simply lean over and grab it!" the words rushed forth in a quick steady stream. "I'm sorry. I'm so clumsy! Oh goodness, look what I've done! Tea all over you!"

Brightly coloured spots floated in front of her eyes making it difficult to see. The girl removed the tray and teacups that lay in a wet puddle in Ayames lap and started folding back the covers, preparing to take them away for drying and Ayame finally got a look at her face.

She was slightly older than what her voice sounded like. She looked to be a couple of years older than Ayame so she was probably around her early twenties. Her black hair was pulled into a bun bound in a cloth and her big brown eyes had a slight tint of panic in them as she fussed around the room.

"Where the hell am I?" Ayame asked as she gently rubbed her aching nose, before the woman could rush off with the tea-stained bundle in her arms. Ayame looked around the room, not realizing until now that this was far from the prison and detention-cells she, logically, should be in. And it felt much to homely to be a hospital. Not to mention she was on the floor on a futon and not in a hospital bed which, she suspected, they had in Soul Society as well as the real world.

"Well, um... the Hitsugaya residence." The young woman said quietly before she slipped out of the room, escaping any more questions.

_'Hitsugaya... I see...'_ She didn't react at first. Then the name rang a bell and she remembered the cruel, violent bastard of a shinigami who beat her to a bloody pulp in that white room.

"_...If she dies, you're next."_

"_A'ight, Hitsugaya-taichou. I just need her to start talking right?" _

"_Affirmative." And the door closed..._

Hitsugaya... HITSUGAYA! Ayame twisted, preparing to sprint out of bed and find an escape before the white-haired captain got another hold of her, but her injured shoulder protested as well as her still bruised ribs and she collapsed on all four, breathing heavily from the sudden jolts of pain.

"You shouldn't force yourself."

The low voice felt like a punch in the gut. She'd been to slow!

"Stay in bed. You're not fully healed yet... Urahara Ayame."

She slowly raised her head, taking in the young man standing in the doorway through where just seconds ago the dark haired girl had disappeared. The black hakama and shihakusho of the Gotei 13. A white, sleeveless haori. Arms folded over his chest and tucked into his sleeves. The uncaring mouth and those turquoise eyes set in a scowl, and the white, tousled hair hanging slightly into his eyes.

One step into the room was all that was needed for Ayames body to start functioning again and she clumsily sat back onto the futon. Squarely planting her rump on the soft mattress, all she could do was stare warily at him.

* * *

><p>Lieutenant class. Could that be it?<p>

Toshiro was still frustrated over not knowing anything about this girl. This Urahara Ayame. Back in the interrogation room she had been cold. Her mind had been as impenetrable as a thick steel wall. But even a steel wall can be torn down with brute force.

But now, here, she was completely open. Taken off guard she wore her emotions on her sleeve.

Could she be in equal rank as a lieutenant? Lower ranks more often than not showed their feelings freely, not having the proper discipline to keep them in, whereas lieutenant class and higher could not afford such luxury. Emotions were kept bottled up and locked away on a battlefield or they were too easy for the enemy to use against you. But even lieutenants and captains could be taken off guard.

Right now she was starring at him with an almost frightened expression and she made quite an appealing sight in the afternoon light. Her ashen blonde hair had been washed and brushed and hung in loose waves, framing her face. Her grey eyes had a flare of innocence instead of defiance that made her look almost naive. The white kosode she was wearing had, most likely without her noticing it, come in disarray at her sudden wake-up and had slipped down to show her pale shoulders. He could easily imagine how a warm, pink blush would crawl across that pretty face of hers if she'd realize how tempting she looked.

"Don't move around too much. Momo's healing power can only heal you to a certain degree, your own body have to do the rest." he told her, forcing himself to think of something else than that tantalizing soft skin. "I still need to ask you some questions."

That got her attention. Her eyes narrowed slightly, brows furrowing as she glared at him. Her sudden change of attitude also made her aware of how far down her robe had slipped and she quickly tugged it in place, embarrassment showing clear on her face. His suspicions proved to be annoyingly correct. The blush added something extra to her appearance and he could feel his heart thumping faster at the sight of it.

"Taichou!"

He heard his lieutenant before he saw her.

"Taichou! Where are you! It's terrible! Taichou!" she shouted as she rounded the corner and came storming down the hall towards him, breasts bouncing and blonde hair flying. "There you are, Captain. Something terrible has happened!" Matsumoto's blue eyes were wide and filled with a familiar look of terror. It could be anything. Anything from the Captain Commander getting killed to something as pathetic as her running out of sake. Apparently, in her world, the two events were on an equal level of horror.

"What is it, Matsumoto?"

"The girl." she panted as she came to a stop next to him. "The ryoka girl. She... She's GONE! She must have broken out! Somehow she..." she was brought up short as she shot a glance into the guest room, seeing the girl on the bed. "Eh? Taichou, you didn't tell me you had a cute girl over." she winked at him and nudged his arm before realizing who that particular girl was. "Wait... what? Is that..? Taichou! That girl!" She almost angrily pointed a finger at Ayame, scowling at her captain. "What in the world is that girl doing here!"

Toshiro shrugged his shoulders in an unarming kind of way and said, "Mitsuru did quite a number on her and I need more answers. Couldn't interrogate her when she was half dead, could I?"

"We have the fourth squad for that kind of thing!"

The 10'th division captain furrowed his brow in a look of annoyance. "They work to slowly. Hinamori is more suited for this kind of thing. I want answers and I don't feel like waiting several weeks before getting them. You know Kotetsu-fukutaichou would refuse me admittance until the girl was one hundred percent healthy."

"Ugh... taichou. Sometimes you really act like a spoiled child..." Rangiku muttered under her breath.

"What?" Toshiro growled at her, making her hastily deny having said anything at all.

A soft rustle made them turn their attention back into the room.

* * *

><p>Ayame stood up on slightly wobbly legs as the two shinigami turned their attention back at her. Both of them would be perfect for her brothers project. Her zanpakuto had been taken from her and Kido was not anything she was very good at using, so her only solution would be to beat them up before they did the same to her.<p>

She charged. She ran straight at the white-haired guy, the one they called Hitsugaya, while his subordinate stood by with a puzzled look on her face.

A swift kick to the head should send him flying, she figured, but he easily blocked. She ducked low, did a round kick for his legs, he simply jumped.

'What the..?' Why wasn't it working. As she rose, the interrogator easily planted a palm-strike to her chest that sent her flying backwards, landing hard on her back that drove the breath from her lungs.

Coughing, she started to rise to a sitting position as Hitsugaya's voice called for her attention.

"I told you not to force yourself." He gave her an unamused look. "I've sealed of your reiryoku. There is no way you can fight your way out of here with just the strength of a normal, mortal human."

Normal? Mortal! Her! Her mouth drew up in a feral snarl, her body posed to defend herself if necessary. But instead of taking any form of action against her, the captain turned his back to her, ready to leave the room.

"There is also a barrier put up around this house. So there's no point in trying to escape." he turned his head to look at her. "All you have to do is answer a few questions. It's really not that hard."

* * *

><p>A couple of days later Ayame found herself back in the overly white room. On a chair, staring into a pair of turquoise eyes and still stubbornly refusing to answer even the simplest question.<p>

Hitsugaya was annoyed with her. She could tell, despite his skill in hiding it. She smirked.

"It's a stalemate, captain."

"I don't believe in stalemates," he said adamantly.

"Then just what are you going to do with me, captain-san. I'm of no use to..." Her mocking line was cut short by the sudden pressure of a heavy reiatsu that almost took her breath away.

_...Ba-thump..._

Her own heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears.

"No use? No use you say!" This was a voice she'd never heard before. A high pitched, nasal voice brimming over with contempt. A strange, frightening... creature... she didn't know what else to call it... walked through the door. She could do nothing but stare at it with a deep feeling of dread. It had golden eyes that seemed to stare right through her soul and a smile so wicked, showing rows of golden teeth, that it almost made her forget to breathe.

_...Ba-thump, ba-thump..._

"How in the world can the creation of Urahara Kisuke be of no use?" He pointed at her with a long, white, bony finger. "Imagine all the data I can gather from you! I can finally find out how he did it!"

"Kurotsuchi... What are you doing here?" came a low growl from the tenth division captain.

"Please, Hitsugaya-taichou, address me with proper respect if you wish to speak with me."

"What do you mean with creation? How do you know of Urahara Kisuke?" The strange looking man, for no matter how she looked at it that was what he seemed to be after all, turned an annoyed gaze at the white-haired young man. Hitsugaya seemed to be on the verge of rolling his eyes as he continued, "Kurotsuchi-taichou."

Looking almost pleased at the proper formalities, the weird man responded acidly, "It's almost laughable that you imbeciles have not yet found out anything. How hard can it be? All you really had to do was ask! But why would anyone ask the mad scientist anything. He puts his brain is in a jar over night!"

Scientist. Mad scientist. Kurotsuchi...

_...Ba-thump, ba-thump..._

Kisuke's last words of warning rang in her head._ "One thing before you leave, little sister. Whatever you do, stay away from the twelfth division captain. He's crazy and wont hesitate to dissect you in a heartbeat. He will also know who you are so Stay Away from him! We can't afford to let our plans slip." _

Kurotsuchi... Mayuri...

_...Ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump..._

* * *

><p>The two men were interrupted by a buzzing, crackling sound as well as a reiatsu so heavy it felt they would collapse where they stood.<p>

Hitsugaya Tôshirô warily turned his head towards his prisoner and his brain tried to work in overdrive to find answers to the questions that popped into his mind.

_'How? She had been bound with Kido...'_

The girl stood almost three meters away, the chair she'd been sitting on lay in a crumpled, smoking pile on the floor behind her.

_'Her reiatsu had been sealed!'_ He was a master at kido, even though he rarely used it. There was no way a girl of her level could have broken free!

_'What is this insane power!'_

Spirit power crackled around the blond girl, creating the illusion of a miniature lightning storm inside the white interrogation room. Her hair seemed to have grown several inches in a few seconds and was now whipping furiously around her body. But the main thing that made a chill run down Hitsugaya Toshiro's back was the half lidded eyes that was completely devoid of emotion as they focused on his face.

There was no way Kurotsuchi Mayuri had any time to react. She was suddenly in front of him, her hand burrowed deeply in his chest as the scientist, with eyes wide in shock, coughed blood.

Toshiro's eyes had not been able to follow the movement.

Shunpo? No, he realized. It had been much faster than that... What in the world was she!

He had to do something. But what could he do against a monster that ripped the heart out of a captain-class shinigami before any of them could even blink.

"Bakudo no 63. Sajo Sabaku!" His Binding Cains clattered useless to the floor as they impacted with the girls crackling reiatsu, before they disintegrated into nothing. He stared in disbelief. A Binding Spell of the 60's level could not even reach her!

All his thoughts came to a halt as the Urahara girl turned her head and gave him an uninterested look. Suddenly she was only inches from his face and he felt several quick punches to various pressure-points on his torso.

_'Crap!'_

Before he could collapse in a motionless heap on the floor he saw the girl brutally rip his fellow captains head right off his neck. Holding it by the hair she casually made her way back towards Toshiro with an evil grin on her face.

Was this really the same girl he'd had in his house for the last few days? The girl who'd bit her tongue during his interrogation and the same girl he'd found collapsed, half dead in her cell after a meeting with Mitsuru. All he could do was stare transfixed at the human monster making her way towards him.

She narrowed her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows and twisted her head to glance behind her. Kurotsuchi's lifeless body was smoking...

In an instant the girl was at Toshiro's side. He could feel his awareness fading quickly from the kyusho-jutsu and only vaguely noticed how she put an arm around him and half a second later they were outside the room, her body posed over his as a splattering explosion erupted from Kurotsuchi Mayuri's body. Through blurry, unfocused eyes the white-haired captain saw her grit her teeth and he vaguely heard the sizzling as splatters of blueish goo hit her arms and back. Her hair hung down around her face and her eyes seemed clearer.

_'Is her hair shorter than before?'_ It was the last blurry question his mind worked up for him before he completely collapsed, with the heavy feeling of the girl collapsing on top of him. 

* * *

><p>and that was chapter 2!<p>

thank you all for reading, and please feel free to leave some feedback! If there is something in the story that seems strange or grammatically incorrect, Please, tell me so and I will try to fix it! =)

Thank you!


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